Joseph A. McManus Jr.

Shareholder, Carlton Fields, 2019-2025

Partner, McManus & Felsen LLP, 1984-2019

General Counsel, Clark Construction Group (CEI), 1979-1984

Attorney, Smith, Currie Hancock, 1976-1979

Law Clerk to Chief Justice

Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals

JAG Corps, U.S. Air Force, 1972-1976.

Practice is national and international. Former President of the American College of Construction Lawyers (ACCL) combined with deep Government Contract experience and General Counsel for a major national general contractor.
Litigated construction disputes (jury and non-jury) in state and federal courts and before Boards of Contract Appeals for owners, general contractors, architects, engineers, subcontractors and suppliers. As advocate, has arbitrated cases nationally and internationally involving fiber optics, power plants, hospitals, retirement homes, hotels and resorts, office buildings, beach bulkheads, retail developments, roads and rails. Recent arbitration involved representation of engineer Joint Venturers against road building subcontractor on 100 km Afghanistan project.
Served as counsel for National construction trade associations, Associated General Contractors (AGC), and subcontractor Mechanical Contractors Association of American (MCAA) & Associated Specialty Contractors (ASC) in the development of AIA standard form construction contracts.
Has testified as expert witness, in open court on construction contracts in the District of Columbia and in Grenada.

• American College of Construction Lawyers (Past President)
• American Arbitration Association (Construction, Commercial, and International Panel Member)
• Litigation Counsel of America (Member, Trial Law Institute; Member, Diversity Law Institute)
• Construction Lawyers Society of America (Fellow)
• American Bar Association (Forum on the Construction Industry; Public Contract Section)
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
• International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR)
• Society of Construction Law (London).

• “When and How to File a Federal Contract Claim,” CONSTRUCTION LAW UPDATE, 2010, 2013, and 2018
• “Identification and Notification,” CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT CLAIMS, CHANGES & DISPUTE RESOLUTION, 2nd EDITION, 2015 (Webinar 2017)
• “Successfully Representing Contractor Clients in Government Contract Claims,” INSIDE THE MINDS: LITIGATION STRATEGIES FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, 2014
• “Identification and Notification,” CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT CLAIMS, CHANGES & DISPUTE RESOLUTION, 2nd EDITION, 2014
• “A New Look at Consequential Damages in Construction Claims,” PRACTICAL REAL ESTATE LAWYER, 2004
• “Claims Against Bonding Companies,” CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS HANDBOOK, 2004
• “Covering the Design Waterfront: Insuring Projects with Fragmented Design Responsibility,” ABA Forum on the Construction Industry and TIPS Fidelity Surety Law, 2000;
• “The New AIA A-201 – An Evolutionary Step,” MCAA Seminar, 1998
• “Prime and Subcontractor Forms Under A-201 (Toolkit),” MCAA Convention, 1998
• ALTERNATIVE CLAUSES TO STANDARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, 1998
• “The District of Columbia,” FIFTY STATE PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTING, 1996
• “AIA Document A- 201 Review and Commentary,” CONSTRUCTION LAW UPDATE, 1995
• “Resolving Construction Disputes Through Mediation,” Associated Builders and Contractors, 1994
• “Hospital Construction Projects,” CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FORMBOOK, 1994
• “Sick Buildings,” Virginia Bar Association, 1992.

• North Carolina, 1972
• New York, 1973
• Georgia, 1977
• District of Columbia, 1982
• U.S. District Court (DC)
• Northern District of Georgia, 1977
• Middle and Eastern District of North Carolina, 1988
• U.S. Court of Appeals: Federal Circuit, 1984
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth (1992) and Eighth Circuit (2012).

• Chair, Procurement Reform Task Force, District of Columbia Council
• Board of Directors, Emerson Preparatory School, Washington, DC
• Academy of United States Veterans